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Jim Gavin, Eamonn Fitzmaurice and GAA President Jarlath Burns at Special Congress. James Lawlor/INPHO

Doing nothing was not an option as Gaelic football has become a big chore

Jim Gavin and his committee’s re-imagining of Gaelic football is not without its loopholes.

AT THE VERY end of Saturday’s Congress, a selection of the members of the Football Review Committee – minus Michael Murphy and Malachy O’Rourke who have since stepped down after resuming active service – were invited by GAA President Jarlath Burns to take a warm round of applause.

Some of those up on the stump had that mild uncomfortable feeling, like when you realise that new woolly jumper is an itchy bag of static.

Either way the applause came rolling in waves. Sustained and loud. The lads were treated as triumphant militia returning from the Crusades, an almost 200-year long campaign waged by the Christian Latin Church in the middle ages that brought slaughter, gore, starvation and disease across and beyond modern-day Europe.

Rather that, though, than having to sit for hours reviewing videotape of the last decade of footballing scutter.

Before you go expressing any negative viewpoint of how the not so beautiful game is about to change, and those in the GAA are no different in being uncomfortable with change, ask yourself if you would have survived being in a committee with Jim Gavin peering over your elbow at what you were scribbling, putting you on the spot with a well-timed question when you gazed dreamily out the window, wondering what was for lunch.

The Football Review Committee, let’s call them Gavin’s Gang, had a serious outing on Saturday. They started strong and laid down a few markers by insisting that any of the rule changes would apply to the club game in 2025. It gained 93% of the vote.

So far, so Gavin. It felt like an early goal from Con O’Callaghan sucking a little life out of the opposition.

There was no opposition, by the way. Important to get it out there. Given the delegates present were there to decide on altering the face of an entire sport, you might have thought that at least a few delegates might have straightened themselves up to full height and outlined an objection here or there.

Damn this digital age. We do all our venting in the online world now. The GAA are heading for a crushing lack of blow-hards and those that adore the sound of their own voice.

One delegate from Sligo began a little bit of respectful pushback, questioning if the new rules had been sufficiently tested, but a quick Jim Gavin anecdote on testing within the aeronautical field had him in his box.

But let’s grab a hold of our Virtual Reality headsets and enter the room on Saturday for Special Congress. Let’s take hold of a microphone and give it the old ‘One-two, one-two’ and a thump for good measure, before clearing our throats lined with Condor plug pipe tobacco and painting this picture.

Kerry are playing Tyrone.

Tyrone are leading by two points and there are three minutes left on the clock.

Tyrone have a kickout that Niall Morgan gets away to a white shirt. They pull a few triangles and get the ball up the pitch, by which time Niall Morgan has made it up past the half way mark.

Now, Kerry are outnumbered, 11 to Tyrone’s 12 outfield players.

So they hunker into a defensive shell and wait for Tyrone to try something.

Only, Tyrone don’t try anything. They are determined to run the clock down by playing keep-ball.

And here’s the thing; they have 100 metres in which to do so, against 11 defenders.

Let’s be even more blatant.

They could station a Matthew Donnelly, a Conor Meyler, whoever, 47 metres from their own endline, where they stand toe-tapping, ball to hand.

Two metres away, Kerry attackers Paul Geaney, David and Paudie Clifford are standing on the 45 metre line. They are powerless to do anything against the man in possession.

If you cannot be tackled from behind anymore, then the game loses something of the 360 degree element, being played with 180 degree vision.

jim-gavin Jim Gavin at James Lawlor / INPHO James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO

At Congress, the presentation was of the kind designed to win arguments. It included Roscommon’s incredible six-minute spell of keep ball against Dublin in the summer of 2023.

It’s a familiar tactic. Take an example of something generally not to the liking of those inside the room and hand out the pitchforks. A final emotional nudge to those that might be tempted to vote no. For the craic, like.

There will be other unintended consequences. There’s a fear that the 35-metre spinner will go the way of the Dodo, outstripped by the move that recycles the ball, scrum-half to out-half fashion, to gain the two-point shot.

Might not sound much on the face of it, but it’s another example of moves slowing down.

The fear is that goals will slow to a trickle, thanks to the new scoring structure. Let’s keep an eye on that too.

But look, we’re just backwoodsmen. Neanderthals, really.

Perhaps the game will be far better. Maybe, the coaches in the modern game have a bit more about them than this cynical, black-hearted and bitter malcontent, who knows not that the game is about daring and glory and going out and having a right cut at it.

Sitting there and doing nothing was not an option as Gaelic football became as big a chore as Sunday Mass over the last decade. Perhaps it was always thus and we only cared about our crowd anyway.

But the old ship needed a new coat of paint. It’s got it. Let’s keep an open mind.

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    Mute james & Orlaith
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    Sep 24th 2013, 8:44 PM

    Regardless of how Saturday goes jbm must be one of the coolest men in the country. Come on the rebels bring liam home.

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    Mute Michael Roughan
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    Sep 24th 2013, 10:34 PM

    JBM is running scare , he knows his team have no answer to the constant on slaughter from Clare

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    Mute james & Orlaith
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    Sep 24th 2013, 10:43 PM

    Im sure he is with Clare’s terrifying roll of honor. Jbm has fried much bigger fish than Davy an his small fish.

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    Mute Tom Collins
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    Sep 25th 2013, 12:25 AM

    You would think you were not biting your finger nails for a point in non added on time! Clare can’t play better and Cork won’t play as bad. Verdict Cork

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    Mute Nelly
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    Sep 25th 2013, 6:35 AM

    Cork are unstoppable…..once they’ve the referee on their side.which they’ve had for the last 3games why should Saturday be any different

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    Mute Bill
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    Sep 25th 2013, 6:46 AM

    Cool !!! Jim Gavin makes him look like a nervous wreck

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    Mute Liam MacSuibhne
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    Sep 25th 2013, 7:32 AM

    Jim who? Oh right, the Dublin manager – who felt the ref was against his team (very cool attitude) – even though his team won, he still decided to take a shot at the ref ( extremely cool)

    Yeah very cool guy. Jim …. Who?

    Now back to the man in question – JBM. All Ireland medals… as a player & manager, hurling and football.
    Now that’s cool. ;)

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    Mute Bill
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    Sep 25th 2013, 7:53 AM

    Jim Gavin one year in the job one All Ireland now that’s cool

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    Mute Pip o call
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    Sep 25th 2013, 8:26 AM

    Were u from nelly ya sausage cork the best county in gaa with the most all Ireland in all codes ha ha and no one near us rebels Abu

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    Mute Brian Foley
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    Sep 25th 2013, 8:29 AM

    Jim Gavin, the man who said he’d walk if his team were guilty of cynical fouling after the Kerry game!!! Considering the 10 minute reel of exemplary cynicism towards the end of the final…Dublin are like Liverpool, always the victim, never guilty!

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    Mute Tom Collins
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    Sep 24th 2013, 10:26 PM

    JBM is a real class act. His character demands respect. A dying bread unfortunately

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    Mute mark hogan
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    Sep 24th 2013, 11:12 PM

    Breed not bread champ

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    Mute Tom Collins
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    Sep 24th 2013, 11:43 PM

    Sorry mark its that dam auto correct again. I will impress you in my next spelling exam I swear

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    Mute jonathan masterson
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    Sep 24th 2013, 10:14 PM

    It should never be a replay.. another 20 mins hurling and if that fails to find a winner, sudden death shots from the 65!!!!!

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    Mute Begrudgy
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    Sep 24th 2013, 11:02 PM

    And if that ends in a draw the players then starting flaking the crap out of each other with the hurleys where last man standing lifts the cup for his county.

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    Mute Neil Crowley
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    Sep 25th 2013, 9:43 AM

    Similar to the Hunger Games, interesting idea :)

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    Mute Daniel Connolly
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    Sep 24th 2013, 10:27 PM

    The dude abides …

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    Mute John B. Reid
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    Sep 24th 2013, 11:59 PM

    “It’s more of a game now than it is a final”, says JBM. Maybe the quality of the final will be all the better for this.

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    Mute Gerry Ryan deG
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    Sep 25th 2013, 8:47 AM

    Jimmy Barry Murphy is the greatest player of the last 40 years, a modest unassuming man, a credit to his city and county and club. A Munster man that those of us not from Cork willingly support everything he does.
    So for that reason, the fact that he is everything that Fitzgerald is not, gwan the Rebels,

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    Mute Mr Sow
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    Sep 25th 2013, 7:07 PM

    Henry shefflin is The best player of the last 40 years! Brian Whelan may also surpass jimmy Barry Murphy. To come think about it wat the f##k u smokin. Lots of guys in the past 40 years better than jimmy as a player. Wat a restarted statement. Don’t get me wrong, great player, great manager and great sportsman. But u my friend seem
    To have an extra
    Chromosome!!

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    Mute Gerry Ryan deG
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    Sep 25th 2013, 11:19 PM

    If Shefflin is your candidate then you never saw JBM in his prime.
    My chromosomes are none of your business by the way.
    You Clare boys are in for a batein like ye have got all yere lives.

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    Mute Brian Foley
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    Sep 25th 2013, 3:44 AM

    They should rename Murphys Red Ale to Jimmy Barrys, guaranteed to to boost sales…around Cork anyway! What a man!

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    Mute sean o reilly
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    Sep 24th 2013, 10:50 PM

    A lot of whinging about the day of the game.

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    Mute Shane O Reilly
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    Sep 24th 2013, 11:55 PM

    I suppose the press asking jbm question on his thoughts on the day and he is giving an answer with his views to said question.

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    Mute Michael cunnane
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    Sep 25th 2013, 8:12 AM

    Couldn’t agree more with JBM.This match should have been played instead of the ladies game and not next Sunday where really a lot of the fizz will have gone out of it.poor timing on a Saturday with people working and loadsa congestion with supporters comming in to Dublin on the same road .

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    Mute Cathal O'Flaherty
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    Sep 25th 2013, 10:51 AM

    Don’t see why the women’s football final should be moved,it’s a high profile occasion which has it’s date marked in the calendar since the beginning of the year.Move the hurling back another week if it’s so important to keep with tradition.

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    Mute Michael cunnane
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    Sep 25th 2013, 12:32 PM

    Bullsh1t..how many gonna b at croke park for the ladies… 30,000
    If its a nice day n they go to arnotts if its rainin.serious own goal by the gaa here.

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    Mute Richie Kennedy
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    Sep 25th 2013, 9:25 PM

    Replays are a bit out-dated. I can’t think of any other sport that still uses replays to find a winner. Why not just play sudden death extra-time? A final should be final.

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